Redial
by thetyger
Summary: The team are faced with a particularly gruesome case involving a serial killer, which reminds Jane of his family. He is also contacted out of the blue by Red John. Will he take the bait and be lured into Red John's trap?
1. Prologue

**Redial**

_**Prologue**_

"Tyger tiger burning bright,

In the forest of the night."

_The words rung through my ears, chilling me to the bone. The hand that clutched the phone to my ear shook violently._

_There was a distinct _'click'_, and everything fell silent. He'd hung up. But why was he calling in the first place? To torment me? He'd done that already. Did he think the grief, the horrible feeling of loss, had passed? If he did, he was very much mistaken. Not a day went by when I wasn't filled with sorrow, regret. And guilt. That feeling would _never_ pass. Not even once I'd fulfilled my mission. The mission I had set for myself the second I'd been able to think straight that day. The day I would remember for the rest of my life, as though it had been only yesterday. I had to take revenge. I had to kill Red John. And that moment was coming. I knew it was. It had to be. _


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

Lisbon was updating her team on the case she'd just received when Jane finally joined them, teacup in hand.

"Nice of you to arrive" she commented, but he just smiled, taking his place on the couch.

Lisbon addressed them in her usual professional manner, ignoring her consultant's lack of punctuality.

"A family of four have been found dead in their home. At first the local cops presumed it was a murder/suicide, but that doesn't seem likely based on their injuries. Apparently there have been two similar cases in the area in the last five year, but those injuries _were _consistent with murder/suicides so they were never properly investigated. They now believe it's a serial killer."

Lisbon handed them each a brown folder containing photos and the reports on all three cases.

"Argh!" Van Pelt grimaced at the gory images. They showed a man and woman, presumably husband and wife, around thirty. They were spread across a bedspread that was once a pale blue colour, but was now completely drenched in blood. The woman was almost unrecognisable, limbs completely severed from her body and a long, deep cut down the centre of her torso. The man, however, was intact, with only a small stab wound to his chest.

"If you think that's bad, you don't wanna see the next one" Lisbon warned her quietly.

Cho was the only one game enough to look at the next image, and not even his stony face could hide his horror. Two small children, no older than ten, were lying together on a wooden floor. They had been attacked almost as violently as their mother, though they were, at least, still in one piece.

"Who would do that to children?" Rigsby asked, disgusted, as he peered cautiously over Cho's shoulder.

"Someone sick, obviously. And we need to catch them before it happens to another family" Lisbon said. "Jane, what do you think about this? Jane?"

He was staring out of the window absent-mindedly, not hearing her voice until the second time it called to him.

"Oh, right. Well, they were all young families, with both a boy and girl under the age of ten. That suggests that our killer didn't have a happy childhood, and probably had a brother and a sister. Their young ages suggest his unhappy memories remind him of when they were that same age" Jane told them. "The fact the father was simply stabbed could mean one of two things. Either our killer could relate to his father the easiest of his parents, or he deliberately set up his crime scenes to look like a murder/suicide".

"Would there be any reason he'd do that? And why was the woman attacked so much more violently than the rest of the family?" Van Pelt asked curiously.

"'Well, that's my other theory. It's possible his mother killed his family and then herself, and he managed to survive".

"That would explain why he's so messed up, and why he makes his killings look like murder/suicides" Rigsby agreed.

"Okay, we should probably go and see if we can find out anything from the scene" Lisbon suggested to her team. "Don't worry, the bodies have already been removed" she assured them, seeing their reluctant expressions.

"Thank goodness" Van Pelt breathed a sign of relief, and Lisbon didn't blame her. The photographs were bad enough, and she didn't know whether she'd be able to cope with the actual thing.

* * *

_Looking at the image had brought another to my mind. One from years ago now, but one that I'd never forget, no matter how long I lived._

_A young girl, seemingly asleep beside her mother. She would have looked peaceful but for the harsh red lines that defaced her small body. She was so innocent, so alive. And yet there she was, lifeless before me. _

_I remember holding her tiny hand, feeling it cold and limp in mine. I remember stroking her wavy blonde hair, so soft and smelling of her favourite strawberry shampoo, yet tarnished with blotches of red._

_Those pictures brought back the memories I had tried to forget. Or at least put to the back of my mind. With those memories came paralysing pain. The present became a blur, moving along without me as I was held back in the past. I grasped for it. I couldn't let this happen to me again. I had to focus on my mission. That was my purpose. That was the reason for my every breathe._

* * *

**_If you want to read more please review! And I promise the chapters do get longer :)_**


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Lisbon drove to the scene, the car completely silent. Cho, in the passenger seat, was deep in a book, completely unaware of anything happening around him. Rigsby was asleep, iPod headphones still dangling from his ears. Van Pelt's eyes were glued to the screen of her laptop, the occasional patter of her fingertips on the keys magnified in the stillness. Jane was huddled in the corner, head resting against the window, staring off into the distance. It was as though he was drifting off into another world, existent only in his own head

As Lisbon pulled into the curb, Rigsby was jolted awake by the sudden motionless. As they got out, Lisbon noticed Jane still obliviously daydreaming in the back. She tapped softly on the window next to his head, and he looked up calmly, as if he had always known she was there. She motioned for him to follow, and he did, though he still didn't seem completely awake.

"Agent Lisbon, I'm Officer Byrd. This is Officer Stevens. Thankyou for coming down. We can deal with murders, but this is way out of our league. The poor guy who found them actually passed out, and he's seen some pretty bad stuff." Byrd was a large guy, clearly tough and experienced. Stevens was smaller, and older, hair more grey than black, but strong all the same. Most local cops like him would give Lisbon a hard time, insistent they didn't need the CBI's help. The fact they were actually grateful for it proved just how full on this case was going to be.

"Not a problem" Lisbon said, appreciatively.

She led her team up the wide concrete path. The house was simple, red brick, neatly kept. A typical family home, with a scooter and pink bike propped against the wall under a window and men's work boots on the welcome mat. Police were crowded around the front door, though very few seemed to be going inside.

Taking a deep breath, Lisbon entered.

A gasp escaped her mouth as she looked around. The hallway was covered almost completely in family portraits, a lifetime's worth of photographs. A happy couple on a tropical beach, the same couple embracing on their wedding day. A tiny baby wrapped in a pale pink blanket, growing into a toddler playing in a sandpit, and then older, clutching a stuffed rabbit. Another child, a boy this time, growing up beside his sister. Their first days at school, every birthday and Christmas filled the walls. Van Pelt closed her eyes tight to hold back tears, and Lisbon avoided looking at all, staring instead at the pale brown carpet.

She hurried up the staircase, torn between the sadness lingering at either end. There were two doors on the landing, one simple and plain with a gold handle, the other decorated with crayon drawings and a plaque reading 'Billie and Sophie's Room'. Lisbon reached out, turning the golden knob.

Rigsby, Van Pelt and Cho followed her in. The room was basically furnished, with a dresser, two bedside tables and a king size bed. It looked exactly as it had in the photos they'd seen back at CBI, minus the bodies. Instead there was a significant dent in the bed where they had lain, and a huge puddle of blood across the mattress, some even leaking onto the floor.

"The police have already dusted for prints, and found nothing" Cho told them as he looked around for anything they'd missed.

"Whoever did this is experienced. I doubt this is only their third killing" Rigsby commented.

"Well we've only got information from the area. Maybe he committed his previous crimes in more remote towns. Or even other states" Van Pelt added.

Cho was in the corner of the room, examining the window. "He probably came in through here. This lock is quite weak, and it could easily be opened and closed from outside."

"Well he must be pretty agile to get through there. And probably quite thin too" Lisbon said. She walked across the room to join Cho, bending down and searching the floor for any hints as to who their killer was.

Van Pelt had pulled open the sliding door on the opposite side of the room, which lead to a walk-in-robe and bathroom. "There's nothing in here" she called out to her colleagues, who weren't having any success either.

"Looks like it's time to check the other room" Lisbon said, though it was clear she was reluctant. No matter how many cases she worked on, she would never become accustomed to the murder of children. At least she could occasionally understand the motives of some criminals, and sometimes even sympathise with them, but never those who hurt innocent kids.

She had to bend down to turn the handle. It must have been customised so the rooms occupants could reach it, as it was much lower than the others, and painted purple and green.

Inside, the only sign if the chilling crime that had taken place there was a wide red stain on the wooden floorboards. The walls were painted in bright colours, a different one for each, and drawings were pinned up all around the room. There were two small beds in either corner, one with a pink princess bedspread, the other decorated with dinosaurs.

A wardrobe and a small chest of draws lined the edges of the room, with a bright blue table in the centre, crayons and textas spread across it, covering a half-drawn picture of a fairy. Van Pelt had a lump in her throat as she thought of the tiny hands that had drawn the image, and how they'd never be able to finish it.

The rest of the room was piled high with toys, everything from dolls and stuffed animals to Lego and train sets.

Cho pulled on a pair of gloves, and began rummaging through the top of the drawers. Lisbon and Rigsby also began the search for clues, looking under the beds whilst carefully avoiding the blood stain on the floor. Van Pelt examined the wardrobe, filled with rows of little pink dresses and costumes, cowboys, fire fighters and princesses.

"Nothing" Lisbon sighed, frustration showing on her face.

"This guy is definitely experienced" Cho commented, "He hasn't left anything, not even a strand of hair."

"Mmm, and must be pretty smart to, for nobody to hear or see anything" Van Pelt agreed, managing to sound impressed and disgusted at the same time.

"Hey, where's Jane?" Lisbon asked, suddenly noticing his absence. He had been so quite today she hadn't even noticed he wasn't there.

"Dunno" Rigsby shrugged, "he's probably still in the hall."

* * *

_The hundreds of photos on the wall brought tears to my eyes, though I held them back, as I had constantly ever since Red John had destroyed my family. It wasn't just my tears I'd held back, but every emotion I couldn't bare to reveal. I'd hidden behind a mask of positivity, of cheerfulness and mischief. _

_But that mask was beginning to wear thin. I could feel it slowly melting, leaving more and more of myself open and unprotected. Vulnerable to attack._

_The photos held memories, the same ones that I'd shared with Angela and Charlotte. And those I never would. Our wedding, our honeymoon, Charlotte's birthdays. Every one of them brought sadness as well as a smile. Sadness for what I'd lost, and what I'd missed out on completely._

_I would never see Charlotte grow up. She would never become a teenager, never graduate, never marry. She would never get her drivers license, get her first job, or achieve any of the other milestone parents treasured. The worst thing about it was I caused her to miss out on them. If it weren't for my stupidity and selfishness she would still be here, smile her cheeky smile which I had been told looked so much like my own. _

_I wished with all my heart I could do all the things I'd never done with her. Teach her to ride a bike, help her with her homework. I wished I could tell her I loved her, just one more time. I hoped she realised how much I did. _

_And still do. _


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Back at the CBI, the team were scanning through every possible lead they could find. Van Pelt was staring at her computer while Lisbon, Rigsby and Cho sifted through pages and pages of notes.

Jane was sitting on his couch, reading one of the folders containing information from some of their killer's other victims. His phone rang suddenly, making Rigsby jump in his seat.

"Hello?" Jane said, rising from his seat. A heavy breathing sound was all he heard, but that was enough. Jane knew instantly who was on the other end, and he hung up quickly.

"Who was that?" Lisbon asked, noticing his abrupt end to the call.

"Wrong number" he told her, returning to his couch, but Lisbon was not convinced.

"Are you okay?" she asked, but was answered with only a small nod of his head and an almost inaudible grunt.

She frowned, still concerned, but returned to reading.

"I think I've found something" Van Pelt called from her desk.

Lisbon joined her, reading over her shoulder.

"There's been several other similar family deaths in surrounding states, all put down to the father going on a rampage and then killing himself. A couple of the earlier ones sound less gruesome, the mother and kids just had their throats slit, but they get worse as time goes on" Van Pelt told her.

"That makes sense, starting cautious and simple, then getting more and more confident" Lisbon evaluated.

"What's the earliest killing you can find?" Jane asked, looking up from the notes he was sifting through. "Often a serial killers real motive lies with their first victim."

"The first one I've found is in Arizona, about seven years ago. A young boy and girl killed in their room, mother found with her throat slit and the father in the lounge room, gun shot to the head, the weapon lying next to him".

"Hmm" Jane hummed thoughtfully, a look of deep concentration on his face. "Is there one before that, mother and two kids killed but not the father?"

As Van Pelt typed obediently, Lisbon turned to him, a questioning look on her face.

"Well," Jane began in answer, "it's possible the very first family our killer murdered was his own."

"Here, a couple of months before the Arizona killings, a family was found dead in there apartment. The father was the prime suspect, but he disappeared. The authorities never found him" Van Pelt read.

"You think he's our guy?" Rigsby asked enthusiastically.

"It makes sense" Lisbon said, nodding. "He killed his own family, left the state and had the urge to kill again."

"But why did he kill his family in the first place?" Van Pelt questioned.

"It's like I said before" Jane remarked. "When he was a child, his mother killed his family and then herself, but he survived. Then, when he was married and had a family of his own, he re-enacted the whole thing. He left the state, changing his name and probably his appearance too, but he couldn't stop killing. He had to re-enact the scene over and over again."

"And he won't stop until we catch him" Cho said solemnly.

"But _why _would he re-enact his past on his family?" Van Pelt asked, horrified by the idea.

"He was probable pretty messed up after what happened to him as a kid, then once he had a family himself, he flipped and killed them. Something would have triggered it" Jane guessed, turning to Lisbon who nodded her agreement.

"What was the family name?" Lisbon asked Van Pelt.

"Castillo. The father's name was Daniel Castillo" Van Pelt told her.

"Can you find a photo of him, and check his record. See if Jane's theory about his childhood is correct."

"Sure" she agreed, and mere seconds later his face was on the screen.

"This picture is about eight years old, and he's probably changed his appearance by now. But this is what he looked like."

He was a slightly built man, of average height. His hair was short, brown but for the odd streak of grey. He had striking blue eyes and a small mouth. He didn't look like the sort of person who would kill his own family. He didn't look game enough to kill a wild animal. But then, looks could be deceiving.

"It says here his mother killed his father and younger sister when he was just eight years old. He somehow managed to survive" Van Pelt said, looking at Jane in surprise and awe.

"Impressive" Rigsby smirked, giving Jane a playful punch in the arm. Jane didn't even try to hide his smug expression, beaming brilliantly. Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"He was pretty badly injured, and nearly died from blood loss, but pulled through" Van Pelt continued. "He married his wife Jenny, and they had two kids, Stacy and Howard. He had a couple of speeding tickets and one arrest for a drunken brawl, but nothing as serious as murder."

"Maybe he was drunk when he killed his family" Rigsby suggested.

"That's possible" Jane acknowledged. "He was probably a perfectly normal guy when he was sober, but as soon as he had too much to drink his past caught up with him and he got violent. Either that or there was something else that pushed him over the edge before the murders."

"So we have until he next has a couple of beers to catch him" Lisbon said.

"How are we going to do that?" Rigsby asked. "We don't even know what the guy looks like now."

"He probably lives in some sort of rental house, and it's likely he lives relatively close to the three crime scenes in the area, in somewhere easy to leave at short notice should he need to flee" Jane replied with certainty.

"How do know that?" Van Pelt questioned sceptically.

"Serial killers are relatively easy to understand once you have enough information about them. They all have a certain kind of mind set. Once you work out what that mind set is, you have a bit of an idea how there minds work, and the sorts of things they'd do. Not enough to actually predict where and when they'll strike next, of course, but enough."

"Okay, I'll look up rented properties, maybe we can find out if Daniel Castillo's staying in any of them" Van Pelt said.

"Yeah, there shouldn't be too many that have been occupied for exactly five years" Lisbon agreed hopefully.

"There, the computer's searching now. It should take around an hour. You wanna go get some late lunch?" she asked the team. They all nodded in agreement, except for Jane, who had fallen asleep on his couch.

They decided not to disturb him.

* * *

_My eyes stayed closed for a minute after they'd left the room, in case one of them had forgotten something and returned. Lunch sounded nice, but there was too much on my mind right now to continue with the cheerful charade._

_The phone call was really getting to me. One I could understand, he wanted to renew the suffering. But a second, on the very same day? It was just breathing, but it was strange. What did he want?_

_He could be trying to lure me into a trap, but I didn't see how. There was no point tracking the call, it would be impossible. He'd never let himself be found so easily. _

_But what other motive could he possibly have? Was he getting bored? It was possible, but not likely. _

_No, there was definitely a reason behind it. But what was it? _

* * *

**It's getting intense! And the next few chapters are gonna get even more intense! So remember, more reviews mean I'll be motivated to type faster and update sooner! **


	5. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

They sat at a circular table, the metal top clanging loudly as Lisbon dropped her phone onto it.

They each picked up a menu, and gave it a quick glance.

"Do you really think we'll be able to catch this guy" Rigsby asked sceptically. "He must be really experienced to not get caught by now."

"Yes, that's true. But if Jane's hunch is right, I think we might just be able to" Lisbon commented optimistically.

"He must be pretty smart if Jane's right. He said the guy probably only kills when he's drunk" Cho pointed out. "How often can you even control what you do when you're drunk, let alone wipe a whole crime scene of evidence?"

"Hmm, I suppose he could commit the crimes when he's drunk but then by the time he's finished he's sober enough to clean up after himself" Van Pelt thought aloud. "There'd be no one around to catch him until someone paid the family a visit. He'd have ages."

"Or he has an accomplice who cleans up for him" Rigsby suggested.

Their discussion was interrupted briefly by a waiter, around to take their orders. Rigsby ordered a burger, Cho a steak, whilst Lisbon and Van Pelt both got sandwiches.

After he left, Lisbon raised the question that had been bugging her all day.

"Has Jane been acting strange to you?" she asked them, concern showing in her voice.

"Yeah, he's been pretty quiet today" Van Pelt nodded thoughtfully.

"And he was late" Cho added.

"He seemed a bit weird after that phone call, remember, he said it was a wrong number" Rigsby contributed, sipping on his coke slowly.

"Those pictures really seemed to get to him" Van Pelt said, referring to the images of their young victims.

They all realised the significance of this at the same time, Lisbon drawing in a sharp breath, Van Pelt putting a hand over her mouth.

"His family…" Rigsby voice what they'd all been thinking in a quiet tone.

"Yeah" Cho agreed.

"But he's seen some pretty gory stuff before. I think there's something else as well, something to do with that phone call" Lisbon said, and they nodded their agreement.

Their food arrived, but none of them were particularly hungry after their conversation. Just thinking about what Jane must have been going through spoiled their appetite. Rigsby managed to eat most of his burger, Van Pelt taking a couple of fries from his plate and eating some of her own sandwich.

Lisbon didn't touch a thing, the lump in her throat seemed too big for any food to fit past. She had been worried about Jane before, but somehow this seemed worse. There was something bigger going on here that she couldn't work out.

They returned an hour later to find Jane in the small kitchen, making himself a tea.

"Want one?" he offered.

"No thanks" Van Pelt declined, the others shaking their heads.

"I'll go and see if the computer's found anything helpful" she called, and Rigsby and Cho followed.

"Jane, can we talk?" Lisbon asked, her voice unable to mask the worry.

"We're talking now, aren't we?" Jane pointed out jovially, though Lisbon saw through his light heartedness and beckoned for him to follow.

She led him to her office, and they sat facing each other with her desk between them.

"Are you okay?" she asked, a serious look on her face.

"Sure, I'm fine" he replied, though he wasn't as convincing as usual.

"That phone call before, who was it?" She seemed stern, but her eyes were softer, begging him to tell the truth.

"I told you it was a wrong number" he told her, looking away to avoid eye contact. She remained silent, and he realised she wouldn't let it go.

"Look, I'm not sure who it was, there was just someone breathing really heavily, so I hung up."

"But you think it's him" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

He sat in silence, his eyes roaming the desk in front of him, and nodded slightly.

"Why would he call you and not say anything? It probably _was_ a wrong number and your just being paranoid" Lisbon told him, though she was trying to convince herself more than him.

"Well… he called me this morning too" he said.

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, though it was more surprise and sympathy than anger in her voice. "What did he say?"

"Just the poem again. 'Tyger, tyger burning bright, in the forests of the night.' Then he hung up."

"Why would he all of a sudden get in contact with you?" Lisbon questioned. She was completely perplexed.

"I'm not sure" Jane said.

"What do you think? Is he trying to trick you? His playing with you Jane, there's no other explanation for it" she told him.

"Yeah, probably" he replied offhandedly.

"Jane, listen, I'm serious" her voice was stern, though her face looked worried. "Do _not_ go after him. You know as well as I do Red John doesn't take risks like this for no reason. He wants something from you. Make sure you don't give it to him."

* * *

_Her warning repeated over and over in my head as I lay on my mattress that night. My gaze was drawn to the red face above me, whose stain had started this whole thing. Every time I looked at it I felt the same complete and utter dread I'd felt that night. And I felt the guilt that had increased rather than faded over time. _

_She had a point, of course. Red John had never just given me new information. He was too careful for this to be anything other than a trap. But he did make mistakes. He'd made them before, and he would again. _

_And when he did I would be ready. _

_This probably _was_ a trap, but I could just ignore it. If I did, I would spend the rest of my life wondering. Wondering whether I had missed an opportunity. Wondering if _this _was the mistake that would have led me to him. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't wonder._

_I had to _know_._


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, sorry I've taken so long to update, I meant to ages ago but life got in the way... So** **anyway, here's the next chapter finally! Hope you like it, and if you do please review! I should hopefully get the next one up in a day or two.**

* * *

_**Chapter 5**_

The next morning Lisbon arrived early, hoping to get started as soon as possible. She hadn't dealt with that many serial killers, but she knew they rarely stopped unless they were captured. And she couldn't bear to see another family tortured so horribly. They had to catch this maniac before he had a chance to kill again.

To her surprise, when she entered the bullpen Van Pelt was already at her computer, and Cho was reading through pages off notes. Rigsby joined them seconds later, a coffee in either hand. He handed one to Cho and sat down next to him, picking up a manila folder with more notes inside.

Lisbon smiled to herself. She didn't need to ask why they were in already. They knew as well as she did what would happen if this killer wasn't found.

"Boss, I've printed out the list of houses and apartments that have been rented since the first killing in the area. There are 23 that seem possible" Van Pelt told her, handing over a sheet of paper.

Lisbon scanned the page quickly, then turned to her team.

"Okay, that's not too many. We'll divide them up between us, then go and check them all out. Hopefully we'll be able to eliminate a few, and maybe even find the one we're looking for". She wrote up five or six addresses on separate pieces of paper and hand one to each of her colleagues.

"Visit all of them, question the occupants and ask around about them. If they don't sound like our killer, cross them off the list. Then we'll met back here and go through the remainder" Lisbon instructed them before they all headed out on their search.

The first house Van Pelt visited was a neat little dwelling with a white picket fence and pale pink roses lining the property. She doubted this was the man they were looking for, but she rung the doorbell just in case.

The man who answered was very small, stooped over a walking stick. His hair was completely grey and balding in areas. Van Pelt guessed he was about 80.

"Hello, my name is Grace Van Pelt. I'm with the Californian Bureau of Investigation" she told him politely, unconsciously leaning down to his level.

"Oh… good morning. Is there anything I can do for you" he replied quietly in a croaky voice.

Originally she had thought Daniel Castillo could have disguised himself as a sweet elderly man, but it was now clear to Van Pelt that this man was genuine.

She excused herself with a pleasant smile, claiming she had the wrong address, and drove to the second place on her list.

This address took her to a small apartment only a couple of minutes away. She climbed the noisy metal stairs to the second level, then found the door with a gold number 8 nailed to it. She knocked.

A middle aged man opened the door seconds later. He was very tall and muscular, with short blonde hair and an intimidating, serious face.

This man was far too tall to be Castillo, and his body shape was completely opposite. There was no way he could have changed his appearance this drastically. Again Van Pelt left with no new information.

This continued with the next two houses, one which had been resold recently to a young girl, the other, she found out from a neighbour, belonged to a man who had spent the last four years in jail for drug dealing and various other crimes.

The final house looked expensive, with huge marble pillars at the entrance. There was no one at home, however, and with no warrant she had no choice but to give up her search and return to CBI headquarters.

Meanwhile Cho's first and second visits had not been helpful either, one with a young family, whose father couldn't possibly have been old enough to be Castillo. The other had housed a man around the same age as Castillo, but he had died two years earlier from lung cancer. His elderly mother was now living there, along with her seven cats.

He pulled up at the third house on the list, the gravel crunching under his feet as he walked up the path to the front door. It was made of wood, though it had a panel missing from the middle and was almost hanging off its hinges.

The house itself was in a similar state, with a couple of the windows smashed and the garden so overgrown it covered most of the path he was standing on.

The doorbell was hanging off on an electrical wire, so Cho knocked loudly. A fair amount of crashing came from behind the door, until it swung open. The man standing there had long black hair, and was wearing paint-stained jeans and an old t-shirt.

"What'd ya want?" he asked, pulling a cigarette from his mouth as he spoke. The smoke blew in Cho's face, and he waved it away with his hand before replying.

Cho flipped his identification open and addressed the man. "I'm with the CBI. I just wanted to ask you a few questions, Mr…"

"Cooper. Name's Lewis Cooper. You can't come into ma house without a warrant" he grinned, turning to slam the door in Cho's face.

The door bounced back, however, his foot stopping it abruptly. Lewis looked back, and was met with Cho's folded arms and icy glare.

"Look man, I dunno what you want, but I've got nothin to do with it" Cooper shot at him, attempting to imitate Cho's authority but failing miserably.

"Empty your pockets" Cho ordered, and Cooper's face showed first surprise and then anger.

"What… how..?" he stammered, but it had been clear to Cho this man was on drugs. He was considering the possibility of him being a drug dealer and, more importantly, a serial killer.

"You're under arrest, put your hands behind your head" he said calmly, already taking hold of Lewis' arm, giving him no chance to do a runner.

Rigsby was just finishing up, heading back to the CBI with no new leads, all his visits resulting in nothing but a narrowing down of addresses.

Lisbon was on the way to her final house. Her first, second and third had all housed residents who were definitely not their killer, except one whose owner had not been home. She would have to check it out later.

She pulled into the driveway of a basic brick house with a neat garden, nothing flash but pleasant enough.

"Good afternoon" a middle aged woman greeted Lisbon, reminding her of how long this door knocking had taken, and that she had forgotten all about lunch.

"Hello, I'm Agent Lisbon with the CBI. Is your husband home?"

"No sorry, he's out at the moment. He'll be back this evening if you want to talk to him then" she replied, clearly curious but too polite to interfere.

Lisbon considered her options. Talk to the wife and probably find out nothing of interest or come back later, get some lunch now and see what the rest of the team had found out.

The second option won easily, and she agreed to return in four hours or so.

She entered the bullpen munching on a sandwich, and was greeted by Rigsby and Van Pelt, though they seemed more tired than cheerful.

"Cho's in interrogation room one with some guy he arrested for possession" Rigsby told her as she slumped into the nearest chair.

"Does he think he's our guy?" she asked. Rigsby just shook his head.

Seconds later Cho returned, seating himself opposite Lisbon.

"So, what did you find out?" she inquired.

"None of them were likely, though there was no one home at this last address" Van Pelt replied, handing Lisbon the sheet with all but one address crossed out.

"Absolutely nothing" Rigsby sighed, waving the paper with scribbled out names.

"I only got the guy in there, name's Lewis Cooper, but I don't think he's Castillo. What about you?" Cho asked.

"One nobody was home, one only the wife was home and the rest were not him" she answered. She laid her slip of paper on the table, with two of the addresses circled.

"Okay, so that means Castillo lives at either the empty house Van Pelt visited or one of these" Rigsby summed up. "Or none of them."

"We'll have to check them later today" Lisbon agreed. Her gaze wondered the room until it fell unconsciously on the empty brown couch, and suddenly she became aware of something she should have noticed much earlier.

"Where's Jane?" she asked, horrified she hadn't realised before, given the conversation they'd had only yesterday.

"I haven't seen him at all today" Van Pelt commented, not realising the seriousness of his sudden disappearance.

"Yesterday Red John called him twice. It can't be a coincidence that he hasn't come in today" Lisbon said hurriedly, worry spread across her face.

"What?" Rigsby exclaimed, shocked.

"You think Red John's got something to do with this?" Van Pelt guessed, her voice wavering slightly with fear.

Lisbon's silence answered for her, and the team just stared at each other, concern and horror lingering in the air around them.

* * *

_By the next morning I had a plan. I guessed I would have a couple of hours before Lisbon noticed I wasn't at work and came looking. I didn't want to put her in danger, so I had to be long gone by then._

_I stared at my phone, and the two messages. It was pointless redialling the number, it would be protected. But if this was a trap, he had to contact me again. I just had to wait. _

_I headed downstairs and out the front door. My little blue Citroën was parked in the driveway, and I climbed in, placing my phone on the passenger seat. _

_Then I drove. I had nowhere to go, but when they noticed I was missing the first place they would look would be my house. I just had to drive around aimlessly until he called. _

_And, almost three hour later, my phone finally began vibrating and the cheerful sound of bells filled the car. _

_I pulled out of the heavy traffic onto a side road, and parked beside the curb. For a moment I just stared at it, my emotions conflicting in my mind. I was terrified, excited, hopeful and angry all at the same time. _

_I forced them all aside, and reached an outstretched arm across the seat. My hand shook slightly as I held the phone up to my ear, and answered. _

"Hello?" _I had to focus hard to keep my voice from wavering. At first there was nothing but silence, but then a distinct voice I had heard only yesterday. _

"Patrick Jane. Are you alone? Where are you?"

"Yes, nobody else is here. I'm in my car" _I replied, my heart thumping so hard in my chest I felt sure he could hear it across the line. He already knew where I was or he wouldn't have bothered calling. He had spies everywhere. I couldn't forget how powerful he was. But I also had to take this risk. My sanity depended on it._

"Okay, good. Stay on the line and do exactly as I say."


	7. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

The serious crimes unit stood outside the extravagant Malibu house, there faces grim. Having searched the entire house and not found their consultant, his car nowhere in sight, they assumed the worst.

"He's gone after Red John" Lisbon voiced their fears, clearly defeated.

Van Pelt was tugging at her necklace nervously, and Rigsby could not stand still. Cho outwardly seemed as emotionless as usual, though his concerned was expressed through words.

"How long do you think he's been gone?" he asked.

"I think he would have left this morning. That's nearly eight hours" Lisbon cried, holding her head in her hands. "He could have gone anywhere in eight hours. He could have left the state. I can't believe I didn't notice earlier."

"It's not your fault, there was a lot going on. Besides, none of us noticed either" Van Pelt attempted to reassure her.

But Lisbon still couldn't help blaming herself. None of the others had known about the calls, they had no reason to be worried about Jane. But she _had _known. She should have been looking out for him even more than usual, and yet she hadn't even noticed his absence. She would never forgive herself if something happened to him.

Cho noticed her silence. "Don't worry about it. He's probably fine. None of this is your fault."

"Yeah" Rigsby agreed. "He'll probably be back soon, teasing us for being worried in the first place."

The team were not used to their boss being so out of it, she was usually the one who was calm and in control.

"Look, there's nothing else we can do here, let's go back to CBI and work out what we'll do next there" Van Pelt suggested. Everyone agreed and headed back to the car, Lisbon followed with her head down, not saying a word.

When they arrived, Cho, Van Pelt and Rigsby pulled up chairs to create a circle, Lisbon sat on Jane's couch.

"I just checked to see if we could track him through his phone, but it's not working" Van Pelt updated them.

"If he really is looking for Red John, he's probably found him by now, especially if Red John's contacted him again" Lisbon said, not meeting their eyes.

She'd spent the entire car trip trying to work out what Red John could possibly want with him. He'd already ruined Jane's life, and he'd had plenty of opportunity since then to kill him if that was what he wanted to do. She was praying it wasn't.

She thought he might just be messing with Jane's head, trying to distract him from his revenge mission. Maybe they were getting to close to finding out his identity, and he was getting nervous. Whatever the reason, she just hoped Jane would be back safe and sound as soon as possible.

"We have no idea where Red John might be" Rigsby sighed.

"I think the only thing we can do right now is continue with the case" Lisbon told them, and was met by expressions of shock.

"What, we're not going to try and find him?" Van Pelt asked, astounded.

"Honestly I don't think we'd be able to even if we tried. Besides, maybe the case will somehow lead us to him" Lisbon said hopefully, though not particularly convincingly.

"Okay" Cho agreed, and they turned their attention back to their case, though their thoughts kept drifting back to Jane.

"We should go back and check the addresses that were empty" Rigsby suggested. "We've still got a few more hours before it gets too dark."

It was only then that Lisbon remembered she'd told the woman living at the final property she visited that she'd be back to speak to her husband that evening. Jane's disappearance had wiped it entirely from her mind.

"Yes, good idea" she praised him, grateful the team were making an effort to distract her. They divvied up the three houses between themselves, Van Pelt checking one, Rigsby and Cho going together to another and Lisbon returning to the house she'd forgotten to revisit.

Cho and Rigsby arrived at the house they were to investigate, and together climbed the steep driveway to the front door.

Rigsby rung the bell and they waited, looking at the property around them. It was a modern two story house, with a tall black front door and a white façade lit by overhead lights. The garden was simple but neat, with white pebbles surrounding the small, shaped bushes.

The door was opened by a young woman, around 19 or years old. She had her long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, and her clothes were covered in paint.

"Oh, hello. Who are you?" she asked, surprised that she didn't recognise her visitors.

"I'm Agent Cho, and this is Agent Rigsby. We're with the CBI."

"Okay. Wait, what's the CBI?" she questioned, confused and also clearly intimidated by Cho's stern expression.

"California Bureau of Investigation" Rigsby answered, exasperated. "Do you have a middle aged man living with you?"

"Um, yeah. Corey Jackson? He's just inside, helping me paint the lounge room" she told them.

"Is her related to you?" Cho asked her.

"No, he's my boyfriend" she replied.

Rigsby had to turn his head to hide his shocked expression. The girl would have to be twenty, even thirty years younger. This man would be old enough to be her father.

"Well, can we speak to him please?" Rigsby asked after he'd regained his composure. The girl stepped aside, allowing them into the house. They walked down to the far side of the hall, where a tall, well built man was using a paint roller.

"Hello, Mr Jackson" Cho called across the room.

The man spun around quickly in surprise. He looked from the two agents to his young girlfriend, trying to work out what was going on.

"What the hell are you doing in my house?" he asked, furious, his face turning red with anger.

"Don't do anything stupid Corey, they're cops" the girl cried out to him seconds before he lunged towards them.

Cho blocked the oncoming punch with an arm, then tackled the large man to the floor. Rigsby cuffed him roughly, and heaved him up off the ground.

"You're under arrest for assault" Rigsby said as he led the man out to the car. After throwing him in the back seat, he turned to Cho.

"He's much too tall to be Castillo" Cho said, and Rigsby nodded his agreement. However they both decided to take him with them anyway. It was clear to them both he was manipulating the young girl living with him, and they felt any charge against him would serve him right.

* * *

_I drove, the phone to my ear, and followed every instruction he gave. I knew the team couldn't track me, Red John was too smart for that. He would have done something to prevent it. At least that was one less thing to worry about. I didn't want any of them getting injured or killed because of me. _

_There were moments as I drove along when I nearly turned back, when I realised how stupid I was being. But I found I couldn't. I couldn't miss this opportunity. _

_Besides, he'd had plenty of chances to kill me before now. If that was what he wanted to do, he would have done it already. _

_There was a reason he wanted me, a purpose. But whatever it was, I would have to risk it. I reached across the seat, holding the phone between my shoulder and my ear, and opened the glove box. I slipped my hand into the darkness, feeling around inside until my hand clasped around the handle of my gun. _

_I held it tightly as I closed the little door. It was comforting, knowing I had something to defend myself. Though if I had my way, I wouldn't be the one who needed defending. _

_I drove and drove for what felt like hours in my state of anticipation, my blood rushing with adrenalin. The sky had begun to darken as afternoon turned to evening, and I found myself surrounded by nothing but trees. I had been so distracted by my thoughts I hadn't even noticed as civilisation slipped away behind me until it had vanished completely. And then I noticed a small shack, barely visible behind the trees that covered it. If I hadn't been looking for it I would never had seen it. _

_Red John's voice filled my ears once again, and with it that shiver down my spine. I would never get used to his voice, so unusual, and terrible. I did as it told me to, parking my car behind the structure where it too was hidden, and stepped outside. _

_I walked along a sandy pathway toward the back entrance to the shack, a wooden door with hinges brown with rust. My stomach let out a grumble, reminding me I hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before. But I couldn't eat. There was far to much on my mind. _

_Suddenly a sharp pain rushed through my head, and I fell forwards. I rolled over in agony just in time to see a figure silhouette against the fading sunlight, wielding a shovel. Then it made contact with my head once again, and the world went black. _

* * *

**Dan dan daaa *dramatic pause*. What's going to happen next? Well, if you review you'll find out pretty soon! **


	8. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

Van Pelt's visit was much less eventful than that of the boys. The occupant of the house she was to visit was still not home, so she headed over to the neighbours to find out what she could.

The whole street had houses made of red brick, with a white front door and greyish roof tiles. The only difference was the gardens, each with its own style.

The house she was supposed to investigate had a simplistic grass lawn with a few flowers around the perimeter and a concrete pathway up to the front door. The lawn, however, looked as though it hadn't been mown for a couple of weeks, and was beginning to overcome the path.

The neighbouring house had most of their garden covered in children's play equipment, with a swing set, a slide and a sandpit. There were bicycles and toys strewn across the lawn, which had patches missing from its constant use.

She rang the doorbell, and heard the excited squeals of young children along with the pattering of their running feet.

Moments later a tired looking woman opened the door, a young boy in her arms and a slightly older girl clinging to her waist. Another two children peered from the background curiously.

"Hello" Van Pelt greeted them, smiling warmly. "My name's Grace Van Pelt, I'm with the CBI. I was just wanting to ask you a few questions about your neighbour" she said, pointing to the fence on the left of their property.

"Oh, you mean John Burke? He left about two weeks ago, he's moved to England" she told her.

A sigh escaped Van Pelt's lips, despite her best efforts to hold it back. Another pointless journey.

She quickly covered up her disappointment and frustration, thanking the woman for her time, waving goodbye to the children and heading back. The sun was nearly setting below the horizon, and a yawn escaped her mouth. She found she was actually grateful for her lack of success, as it meant she would be home sooner, tucked up into her warm, cosy bed. But then her thoughts returned to Jane, and she realised even if she were at home, she wouldn't be able to sleep.

Lisbon had returned to the house she'd visited much earlier that day. After knocking, the same woman came to the door.

"Oh hello, Agent Lisbon. Sorry, my husband's out again. Would you like to come in anyway?" she offered.

Lisbon figured she could probably find out enough from her, even without her husband present, so she followed her inside.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Edith Stevens" the woman told her as they sat down at the kitchen table.

"Mrs Stevens, how long have you and your husband been married?" Lisbon asked.

"Only about a year, we met seven years ago" she replied.

"Seven years ago?" Lisbon gasped, unable to hold her immediate reaction back.

"Is there a problem, Agent Lisbon?" Edith asked, looking concerned, though there was something else as well. Lisbon couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Um, Mrs Stevens, do you know if your husband has ever been married before?" she asked slowly.

"Ah, Agent Lisbon, it seems you and your team are very good at what you do. It wouldn't have been easy to find my husband's true identity. Unfortunately for you, I am well aware of what happened seven years ago. If fact, I helped_ make_ it happen."

Lisbon sat there in silence, unsure how to react.

Suddenly, the front door creaked open from down the hall. Heavy footsteps came closer and closer, until a man dressed in a police uniform rounded the corner.

"Agent Lisbon" the officer greeted her. For a second she felt relief, no longer alone with this lady who had helped her husband kill his family. This officer had been the one she'd met at the very start of this case. With Officer Byrd. What was his name again?

And suddenly dread surged through her body. She reached for her gun, but a strong hand closed around her wrist, clenching it tight.

"I see you've already met my husband, Officer Stevens" Edith grinned.

Then the other strong hand covered her face. She struggled against it, trying desperately to pull it from her mouth with her one free hand. But he was far too strong. As she struggled, she became weaker and weaker.

Her head began to spin from lack of oxygen. Her eyes looked up pleadingly at her attacker, who was smiling. She used her last ounce of strength to pull at his hand with all her might. Nothing. It wouldn't budge. Suddenly, her body slumped against his chest, eyes closed, passed out.

Officer Stevens slung the limp agent over his shoulder, and headed out the back door. His wife followed.

Parked on the grass was a burgundy van. Together they bundled Lisbon into the back, tying her hands and feet with thick rope and taping her mouth shut.

Then they climbed in the front and drove away.

* * *

_My mind was fuzzy, head aching, when I came to. I lay still, eyes closed, as I tried to recall how I'd ended up like this. _

_I strained to remember, searching my memory. And suddenly it all came rushing back._

_The phone call, driving for hours, pulling in beside the remote shack. The pain searing through the back of my head. Then blackness, nothingness. _

_I had been stupid to think I'd be able to outsmart Red John. He was too well-practiced to let me catch him off guard. _

_Finally I found the strength to open my eyes. I blinked to adjust to the light, despite its dimness. I was lying flat in my back in a small room. The floor of concrete felt cool beneath my palms as I pulled myself up into a sitting position. I groaned at the effort and the pain it caused. I held my forehead with my hand, and felt blood beneath my fingertips._

_The room was lit only by a long light in the centre of the ceiling, whose flickering dull glow did little to illuminate my surroundings. _

_There were no windows, so I had no way of knowing how long I'd been unconscious. The door on the opposite side of the room looked heavy, and no doubt it would be bolted shut. He would know about my skill for picking locks. He wouldn't take that chance. _

_The rest of the room was completely empty. No furniture of any kind, not even a chair. _

_I attempted to stand, but my head spun so violently I had to cling to the wall for support. I lowered myself back down with my back against the wall in defeat. _

_All at once a memory flashed into my mind. I reached inside my jacket, feeling around inside for the gun I'd placed there. Gone. I wasn't surprised, it was stupid for me to have even considered it would still be there. But that didn't prevent my body flooding with disappointment. _

_My phone was still tucked away in the pocket at the front of my jacket, and I flipped it open only to have my hopes dashed once again. No signal._

_It was then that I noticed the speaker attached to the very corner of the ceiling. Next to it was a camera. I realised Red John had been watching me this whole time, probably laughing at me as each of my measly attempts to escape were foiled. _

_But somehow I was also reassured. He wouldn't simply leave me in here to starve. He'd have to say something to me sooner or later. All I had to do was wait._

* * *

**Thanks so much to everyone whose been reviewing! I love you all! I've been trying to update reasonably often, but tomorrow the school holidays end :( So won't be able to update quite as frequently. But I'll do my best! Please keep reviewing, your support is greatly appreciated! **

**Thanks!**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry it's been so long since I last updated, school took up _way_ more time than I expected it to. But finally the next chapter is here! :D I really really hope you like it! And please review! Hopefully I'll be able to update the next chapter pretty soon :)**

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

They had waited nearly an hour for Lisbon to return, and called her four times before the worry began to set in.

At first, the assumption that she had simply turned her phone off was enough of an explanation. But as time went on, this theory became less and less plausible.

It was Van Pelt who finally voiced what everyone was thinking. "There is no way it would take her this long to talk to whoever lives at that address. Besides, why would she turn her phone off in the first place? It doesn't make sense."

Neither Rigsby nor Cho disagreed. Honestly they'd both been thinking the very same thing for a while now, but with Jane already missing they didn't want to accept that Lisbon too was nowhere to be found.

"Every place we've checked is definitely not Castillo's except this one. I guess it fits" Rigsby realised with a sigh.

"Well, at least we've found him" Cho said, attempting optimism.

"Hey, I can look up the address and see who lives there" Van Pelt exclaimed.

Typing as quickly as she was physically capable, pages of writing appeared on the screen. She scanned through, page after page, until she clicked on one.

"The house is registered under a woman's name, Edith Stevens" Van Pelt groaned with disappointment.

"We should probably drive over there, double check if Lisbon really is in trouble" Rigsby suggested, and his remaining colleagues nodded their agreement.

The drive felt like years in their anticipation. Van Pelt drove, Rigsby in the passenger seat and Cho behind him. All three kept their eyes glued to the horizon the whole trip, praying for their destination to appear, like magic, in front of them.

When it finally did, Rigsby had the door open before the car had even come to a complete halt. He pulled his gun from its holster, running across the lawn to the door. Cho and Van Pelt quickly followed. All three noticed with dismay the black SUV parked in the driveway, identical to the one Lisbon had been driving.

Rigsby bashed violently on the door with his fist, the sound echoing around them. When there was no answer, they shared a glance, then Cho smashed his shoulder against the door. It swung open.

Inside, they moved from room to room cautiously, guns drawn, calling 'clear' each time they determined a room was empty.

After checking every room, they regrouped in the kitchen.

"There's nobody here" Rigsby announced, stating the obvious.

"Something's definitely happened to her, there's no way she'd have left here without calling us" Van Pelt said.

"Do you reckon the same person who took Lisbon has got Jane too?" Cho asked.

"Jane went after Red John, didn't he?" Rigsby asked, then registered the relevance of what he'd just said.

"You think Red John's got Lisbon _and _Jane?" Van Pelt asked, horrified at the idea. "Why does he suddenly want to kidnap them? He's had plenty of chances before this. It doesn't make sense".

"Maybe it has something to do with the case" Cho suggested, shrugging. "I don't really know, but whatever the reason, we have to find them before…"

He didn't finish his sentence, unwilling to voice the fears all three were sharing. Hearing them aloud would make them feel more possible, more real. None of them wanted to assume the worst, though it was hard given the circumstances.

"Hey, let's look around, see if we can find out the name of the guy who lives here with Edith Stevens" Van Pelt proposed, eager to find out what they could, hoping any information could lead them to their friends.

"Good idea" Rigsby agreed, moving across the kitchen and pulling open a draw. Cutlery. The next draw held more kitchen utensils, but the next was filled with envelopes and sheets of paper.

Van Pelt and Cho made their way over to stand beside him, and together they leafed through the pages, searching for anything helpful.

"Here's a letter addressed to 'Will and Edith Stevens'" Cho announced, waving the envelope for the others to see.

"Will Stevens, that name sounds familiar" Rigsby commented offhandedly.

"Stevens is a pretty common name" Cho noted, as he continued his search.

"Guys, I think I've found something" Van Pelt said. "Rigsby, I know where you've heard the name Will Stevens before. This is a letter that came with his pay. Guess where he works."

"Where?" Cho and Rigsby asked in unison.

"The local police. Remember Officer Stevens, he was at the crime scene when we first arrived."

For a moment there was silence, as the information set in.

"Officer Stevens is Daniel Castillo?" Rigsby gasped.

"I suppose it makes sense. A lot of serial killers inject themselves into the investigation" Van Pelt realised. "He does have the same general build and eye colour as Castillo did."

"Yeah, and I suppose it would be pretty hard to change those features" Rigsby commented.

"He could have worn contacts" Cho pointed out.

"It is surprising he didn't" Van Pelt agreed. "Maybe he's allergic to them."

"It doesn't really matter. We should check his room, see if there's any evidence linking him to the murders" Cho suggested.

The bedroom was neat and clean, with limited furniture. A double bed took up the majority of the small room, neatly made with a black and white bedspread and a couple of cushions. On either side was a glass table, the one on the right holding a novel, reading glasses and a clock radio. On the left one, was a glass of water and a golden, men's watch.

Rigsby checked under the bed, with no luck. Van Pelt moved across the room to the walk-in-robe shared by the couple.

She let out a gasp and covered her mouth with a hand. Cho glanced over, then moved to take a look, Rigsby close behind.

Van Pelt had pushed the racks of clothes aside, revealing the wall behind. Little of the wall was visible, however. Photographs were pinned from floor to ceiling, there had to be at least twenty.

Families, bound and gagged, moments before they were brutally murdered. Rigsby shuddered, looking into the eyes of the victims. Eyes filled with terror. Young children bawling, parents struggling to hold it together, not wanting to frighten their kids.

Then Cho turned his attention to the chest of draws in the corner of the wardrobe. He took a step closer, examining the pile of golden rings that had been placed there. It took him a second to register what they were.

"Wedding rings" he murmured to himself.

"What?" Van Pelt asked, moving closer until she was beside him.

"They're trophies. Wedding rings from his victims" Cho told her.

"Wait, there's no way his wife hasn't seen these. This is her wardrobe too. Look, there are dresses in here" Rigsby pointed out.

"You think she's in on it too?" said Van Pelt, eyes wide.

"She either knows about it or actually helps him" Cho muttered, disgusted.

Van Pelt and Rigsby's expressions clearly displayed their own feelings of horror.

"What a sick bond for a couple to share" Rigsby spat, frowning, repulsed. "I suppose that explains how he commits such violent murders, whilst drunk, without leaving a shred of evidence. His wife must clean up after him."

"Stevens works for the police. Maybe they'll know something about him that will help us find Lisbon" Van Pelt suggested.

"Hold on" Rigsby said, turning to Cho. "You said you thought Red John's got Lisbon as well as Jane."

"Yes, and that would mean Stevens knows Red John" Cho answered.

"You think Stevens and Red John are friends?" gasped Van Pelt.

"There is a similarity to their killings" Rigsby said.

"More than friends. He probably inspired him." Cho muttered.

* * *

_I waited and waited for the faintest crackle from the speaker, staring into the camera, absent minded. _

_I guessed it had been hours, but with no clocks or windows I had no way of knowing. My phone had run out of charge, so I couldn't even use it to check the time. _

_I reached my hand up to the gash on my head, the pain flowing through my body, numbing it. Blood covered my hand, sticky and wet. I had lost a lot of blood, a puddle forming on the cold ground next to me. I'd tried holding my jacket to the wound, hoping to stem the flow, but it was now soaked through. _

_I lay my head down, unable to hold it up any longer, even in a sitting position. It throbbed so fiercely that I had to struggle to remain conscious. _

_I felt my eyelids droop as I began to lose the battle. My vision blurred, and I had begun drifting off when a loud clicking sound echoed through the empty room. _

_The door swung open, scraping across the concrete floor. A man entered, his face vaguely familiar, though I couldn't quite place it. A woman too, though I'd never seen her before. _

_But the struggling woman between them I did recognise. Just before I faded into unconsciousness once again, her large green eyes connected with my own. _

_Lisbon._


	10. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

"Hello, Officer Byrd" Van Pelt called across the almost deserted foyer of the police department.

He turned, and surprise crossed his face. He wasn't expecting to see the CBI agents until the next day.

"Agent Van Pelt wasn't it? Any news" he asked, not noticing the distressed look on her face.

Rigsby stepped forward, the same look mirrored on his face. "Officer Byrd, we have reason to believe Officer Stevens is the serial killer we've been looking for."

"Officer Stevens? Don't be ridiculous. Will's worked here for about three years now, he's been with this investigation from the start. What kind of evidence do you have to support this preposterous theory?"

"Photos of tied up victims in his wardrobe along with their wedding rings. Also Agent Lisbon went to speak with him, and now she's missing" Cho answered.

Byrd stood in shocked silence for about a minute. "W-w-what?" he stammered.

"We really need your help here Officer Byrd, you know Stevens. Do you have any idea where he might have taken her?" Rigsby asked him.

"Look, I can't believe this. Stevens is a good guy" he told them.

"You're going to have to put that aside, right now we have to find Lisbon before anything happens to her" Cho ordered sternly. "What can you tell us about Stevens? Anything?"

"Okay, um, well. He met Edith about seven years ago. They moved here about two years later, and he joined the police force not long after that".

"How long after he moved here did the killings start?" Rigsby asked.

"Hmm, only a couple of weeks" he replied.

"Hold on a second, he married Edith about seven years ago. It was about seven years ago that our serial killer killed his family" Van Pelt realised.

"You think she was the reason he killed them?" Rigsby asked.

"It does sound like she had something to do with it" agreed Cho.

"So now you think Edith had something to do with this too? This is absurd. Neither Edith, nor Will are capable of something like this." Byrd shook his head in exasperation.

"We found the victims' wedding rings in his house. Photos of them just before they were killed" Van Pelt urged. "I know it's hard for you to grasp but you have to try and believe us. We have actual evidence against him"

"Officer Byrd, have you ever heard of a serial killer called Red John?" Cho asked, trying to move the conversation to something more helpful.

"Yeah, he's the guy who draws the face on the wall with blood, right?" When the team confirmed this with a nod, he continued. "Actually, Will used to talk about him a fair bit."

The agents shared a glance. Noticing this, Byrd frowned in confusion.

"Why do you ask?" he questioned with a tone of suspicion in his voice.

"We're considering the possibility that Stevens knows Red John, that they're friends. We think they might have both Lisbon and Jane. We don't know what they want with them, but you know the area much better than us. We were hoping you might know the sorts of places they might have been taken" Van Pelt told him.

"Nothing comes to mind, though I'd guess they'd take 'em further out. There're some pretty remote areas only a couple of hours drive from here."

"Do you know what type of car he drives?" Rigsby asked.

"It's a kind of van thing, reddish/brown colour. I can look up his license plate if you'd like" Officer Byrd offered.

'That would be great, thankyou" Van Pelt smiled gratefully, though the second Byrd left for his computer her smile faded.

"Pretty soon we'll have his licence plate. Then it's only a matter of time before we find them" Rigsby reassured her, noticing her troubled expression.

The three pulled up chairs, sitting in a circle together.

"But what if it's too late?" Van Pelt whispered, close to tears.

"If Stevens and Red John have them, they want them to distract us from the case. They don't have any reason to harm them" Cho said.

Van Pelt nodded, though she kept her head down, eyes focused on her shoes. Officer Byrd returned, a sheet of paper in his hand.

"Here's the plate, we can ask around the area, see where it was heading" he suggested, handing the page to Cho.

Rigsby thanked the big man, glad that he'd finally put his emotions aside and was helping to move the investigation forward.

"Let's go and see if anyone knows which direction they went" Van Pelt announced, making her best effort to stay positive.

They drove to the Stevens' place, then worked their way along asking everyone they met if they'd seen a burgundy van with the corresponding number plate. They made progress slowly but steadily, moving further and further away from the house.

The evening grew darker and darker as it turned to night.

"We're actually lucky it's so late, more people are home for us to question than if it were in the middle of the day" Rigsby noted positively.

It wasn't until almost midnight that the team finally gave in, overcome by the lack of light and lack of sleep. None of them had even eaten dinner, so they agreed to call it a day and decided to return first thing the next morning.

* * *

_As I woke, I felt a hand resting against my injured head, holding back the seemingly endless flow of blood. I groaned, fighting to open my heavy eyelids._

"Jane? Jane! Are you okay?"

_Her voice broke through the endless silence, and the familiarity brought a faint smile to my lips. I finally managed to open my eyes._

_She looked tired, marks around her wrist from the rope that must have bound her, shirt ruffled and dirty. She was holding her jacket to my head, sitting beside me. Her eyes were filled with concern, worry and exhaustion. _

_I moved my hands to my side, trying to heave myself up into a sitting position, but she pushed me back down with her free hand. _

"Jane, just lay down, it's okay. You need to rest, you've lost a lot of blood."

_I relaxed slightly knowing she was here with me. _

"Thankyou" _I managed to murmur, my eyes beginning to flutter. I hated not having control over my body, feeling so weak and incapable. _

_She smiled sympathetically, holding my hand to comfort me. It worked. I closed my eyes once again, though this time I didn't put up a fight. I could sleep without worrying with her here with me. _


	11. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

The next morning the team met at the location they'd finished at the night before. They felt no more refreshed than they had then, none of them having slept for more than an hour.

They asked civilian after civilian for information on the van in question, and despite the length of time since it had passed through, they still managed to get the information they were looking for.

After more than three hours, an elderly bearded man directed them to a remote road much further away than they had expected to travel.

"I was finishing up visiting a friend who lives out there" he recalled for them. "The road is normally deserted that late in the afternoon, which is why I noticed the van. It was travelling pretty fast in the opposite direction, towards an abandoned shack hidden by some trees. It's hard to spot from the main road, but if you know what you're looking for you can find it easily enough"

Van Pelt, Cho and Rigsby returned to the car with a new energy, feeling much closer to finding their friends.

After about half an hour they came to the road that the old man had described to them.

It was rough, made from gravel, and their windscreen was filled with dust within minutes. Rigsby wound down the passenger window to get a better view ahead of them, and copped a mouthful of dirt.

After recovering, he glanced out, more cautiously this time, and saw on the horizon a dilapidated little structure.

"There it is" he cried, smiling with satisfaction.

They pulled up a couple of metres away behind a tree. It didn't hide their car completely from view, but it did make it less obvious. At a glance it would be unnoticeable.

All three pulled their guns from their holsters, and made their way slowly and carefully to the door.

Despite its outward appearance, the shack was actually quite sturdy. Behind the wooden planks was a much stronger wall made of concrete.

"Someone wants this place to look much more deserted than it actually is" Van Pelt realised.

To their surprise the door wasn't locked. On the contrary it swung open easily when Cho tugged on the handle.

Guns drawn they entered the small room. The floor, roof and walls were all made of concrete, giving the space a cold feel, making them shiver. There were no windows, and they had to use their flashlights to illuminate the room.

Across the room was a huge metal door, bolted with several different latches and one large keyhole.

"Hey guys, come look at this" Rigsby called from the far right-hand corner of the room.

There, on the floor, almost unnoticeable in the dimness, was a small latch. Looking more closely, they made out a square that blended with the concrete from a distance, but up close looked much lighter.

"A trapdoor" Van Pelt gasped.

They positioned themselves, Rigsby holding the handle, Van Pelt and Cho pointing their guns towards the opening.

They made eye contact, nodded, then Rigsby heaved with all his might, pulling the door open. Cho entered down the ladder first, followed closely by Van Pelt.

"CBI, is there anyone in here?" he called out, scanning the room with his torch.

The beam of light swept the room, until it came to rest in the corner, where a middle aged man was huddled under a table, a woman behind him.

"Edith and Will Stevens, put your hands up" Van Pelt called, her voice angry. Knowing the crimes these two had committed along with kidnapping Lisbon infuriated her.

They stood slowly, raising their hands obediently in defeat. The two agents moved closer, handcuffing the couple roughly.

They led them up the ladder, Rigsby waiting at the top.

"Where's the key to that door?" Van Pelt spat, staring the two down expectantly.

"Around my neck" Will muttered.

Van Pelt pulled the chain from him, and clasped the large old-fashioned key tightly. Cho handcuffed the two to the top of the ladder, then together they stood in front of the door. Van Pelt plunged the key into the keyhole, turning it with a click.

It took all three of them to push the massive door open.

"Lisbon! Jane!" Van Pelt cried, hurrying over to them. They were huddled in the far corner of the room, Jane lying, eyes closed, while Lisbon sat next to him, leaning weakly against the wall.

Outside they heard sirens as Officer Byrd and the rest of the local cops finally arrived. Van Pelt had called them after the elderly man had directed them to the shack, just before they were out of cell phone range.

Lisbon smiled gratefully as Rigsby and Van Pelt helped her up, then together they knelt beside Jane. The wound on his head looked severe, though it had stopped bleeding.

They nudged him awake, heaving him up between them and led him out to the car while Cho helped Lisbon.

They met Officer Byrd outside. He'd already called an ambulance, which he said was on its way, and two of his officers were dragging Stevens and his wife to cop's cars.

Cho sat Lisbon down on the step, where she leant against a pillar, to weak to even speak. Jane lay next her as they waited anxiously for the ambulance to arrive, his head resting on Van Pelts shoulder as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

* * *

_I was barely aware of what was happening as Van Pelt and Rigsby carried me outside. My head throbbed so painfully I winced, leaning gratefully against their weight. _

_The next minute I was on the step outside the building, the world swaying around me. Rigsby's face appeared in front of mine, his hand on my shoulder, calling my name. _

_His words drifted meaninglessly through my ears. I didn't have the energy to concentrate on what he was saying. I felt my hands shaking from exhaustion, lack of water and relief. Finally I was safe, away from Red John's watchful camera. _

_Van Pelt held a water bottle up to my lips, and I gulped it up greedily, my dry throat finally soothed. _

_Flashing red and blue lights appeared, along with an ear-piercing siren, overloading my senses in their delicate state. The ambulance. Finally I could rest peacefully, comfortably._

_Suddenly I was jolted from my daze by loud bang, and then another._


	12. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11**_

The shots startled everyone, Rigsby and Cho both drew their guns instinctively, looking around for the source of the noise.

Edith Stevens was holding a gun out in front of her, pointing it around from person to person. Her husband lay slumped in the back of the police car, an officer on the ground, blood leaking from the bullet hole in his back. She still had her hands fastened in front of her with handcuffs, though somehow she'd managed to slip the officer's gun from its holster without him noticing. He'd paid for that brief lapse of concentration with his life.

"Stevens, drop the weapon" Rigsby ordered, aiming his gun at her head. "We _will_ shoot you."

He was met with an evil smirk.

"Stop, don't shoot her!" Jane cried, pulling himself up from the step he'd been resting on and stumbling forward. Van Pelt jumped up quickly, trying urgently to get him to sit back down, but it was no use.

"She knows who Red John is!" Jane called faintly as he fell forward in exhaustion and agony. He continued crawling towards the woman, desperation in his eyes.

Edith cackled, her eyes gleaming crazily. "You really think I'm going to tell you anything about him. He inspired me, helped me, I'm not going to give him up."

Then she raised the gun to her head, and fired.

The stunned silence was broken only by Jane's defeated cry. "No!" he yelled, tears filling his eyes as Van Pelt clasped his arm, trying her best to comfort him. Lisbon joined them, helped over by Rigsby and Cho, and together they attempted to calm him as the ambulance workers lifted him onto a stretcher.

He fought against their restraints until he passed out, not an ounce of energy left in his weak, shaking body.

Lisbon was also loaded into the ambulance for examination, with tears streaming down her face. The combination of being kidnapped, not sleeping a wink so that she could stop Jane's rapid blood loss and watching his emotional decline was too much for her.

Van Pelt's eyes too, were filled with tears, as she Rigsby and Cho watched the ambulance speed away.

They climbed into the car quietly, none of them ready to speak after the ordeal they'd been through. Jane's break down and their boss's tears had shaken them all. He was usually so carefree and cheerful, she so strong and calm.

Cho followed the path of the ambulance, miles ahead, to the nearest hospital. The tension they'd all felt had eased with their killer and accomplice dead, though the mood was no lighter. Worry for Jane, his injuries and his mental state, prevented them from breathing that long awaited sigh of relief.

Parking at the entrance, the three entered the stark white hospital bustling with patients, nurses and visitors.

Everything appeared in slow motion, hordes of people going about their business, as they walked down the halls. They were greeted by a doctor, though his words fell on unlistening ears, none of them having the mental strength to take in what he was saying.

He led them to three empty seats, where they sat quietly, lost in their own thoughts.

Minutes went by before they spoke.

"Do you think they're going to be okay?" Van Pelt asked, the first to break the silence.

"Yeah" Cho replied calmly. "Lisbon was just tired and dehydrated. She'll be fine. Jane lost a fair bit of blood, but he should pull through."

"Maybe physically" Rigsby pointed out. "But mentally? He's been through a lot, Red John kidnapping him, lying in pain for hours and then that woman committing suicide. It's a lot to handle. Especially for him"

"His family was murdered by a serial killer and he got through that, he'll be fine" Cho said confidently.

Van Pelt was still not completely convinced, but she didn't want to discuss it any longer. "Why do you think they were kidnapped in the first place?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Well, Lisbon was obviously taken because she would have arrested them otherwise. Jane, well Red John was friends with the Stevens', so he probably kidnapped Jane to distract us from the case" Rigsby guessed.

"Yeah, that makes sense" Cho agreed.

"I reckon meeting his wife was what made Stevens start killing" Van Pelt thought aloud. "I bet she knew Red John already, and when they fell in love she convinced him to murder his family. Then, because of what happened to him as a child, he couldn't stop."

Rigsby and Cho both nodded their agreement. Then, with nothing else left to talk about, they were plunged into silence once more.

It was almost an hour later when the doctor returned to update them. Rigsby had discovered a nearby vending machine and was munching on a packet of chips.

Van Pelt and Cho had slept briefly, though not enough to refresh them significantly.

Their minds had cleared enough to absorb the information directed to them, and it lightened their moods to know for sure that Jane and Lisbon would both be okay.

"Teresa Lisbon has mild shock and dehydration, but she should be fine to leave our care by tomorrow afternoon. She's conscious, so you can visit her now if you'd like, though not for too long. She needs to rest.

Patrick Jane, on the other hand, will need to stay here for a couple more days. The wound on his head is deep, we've stitched it up but since it's a head injury we'll need to monitor him for a longer period of time. He's also lost a lot of blood. He should be okay in a couple of days though" he smiled a warm, reassuring smile before leading them to Lisbon's bedside, then leaving them to speak privately.

The room was plain, holding only a bed, a couple of chairs and machines, constantly beeping. The sanitised smell all hospitals seemed to have filled their nostrils, and their shoes squeaked on the spotless floor.

Lisbon lay beneath white sheets, awake but clearly desperate for sleep. A long tube connected her arm to the drip next to her.

"How's Jane?" she asked the second they walked into the room.

"He's going to be fine" Van Pelt replied soothingly, resting a hand on her arm. "You need to stop worrying about him and get some rest."

"I know" she sighed. "Have you seen him?"

"Not yet" Rigsby told her. "But I promise we'll let you know as soon as we know anything else."

"Thankyou" she smiled faintly, then she closed her eyes and was asleep almost instantly.

Her team found chairs and sat beside her bed, talking quietly so as not to wake her.

* * *

_When I opened my eyes again, I found myself peering up at a white ceiling. For a moment I thought I was back inside the shack, locked away, but the soft sheets beneath me told me otherwise. _

_Slowly I began to remember, Van Pelt and Rigsby carrying me outside into the fresh daylight, the ambulance arriving. _

_And the gunshots. The woman falling to the ground, my hopes of finally catching Red John dying with her. _

_My head was still painful, though it had been reduced, no doubt by the painkillers being pumped through my veins._

_But they did nothing to ease the despair tearing at my heart. How had I let her get away? I was so close. And yet now I was as far as I'd ever been. _

_Maybe it was time to give in, to move on. I'd been chasing him for years now, I couldn't keep going forever. _

_Suddenly I heard the sound of my phone, and I searched around the room to see where it was coming from. There, on the table next to me. It took all my strength just to lift my arm and grab it. Then I flicked it open, and answered._

"Hello?"_ I pleaded in my mind for it to be him, and when the voice across the line replied my heat skipped a beat. _

"Mr Jane. Such a shame you had to leave so soon. Hopefully you realise now that trying to catch me is pointless. I will always be one step ahead of you."

" Your friends died, you know" _I replied, attempting to get to him, though the second the words came from my mouth I realised it was pointless. He didn't have any _real _friends. Only followers. People to be manipulated. _

"Yes, unfortunate isn't it. But sacrifices have to be made"_ he answered, almost cheerfully. _"Just as your family had to be killed to teach you a lesson." _Then he hung up._

_The phone call completely erased any thought I'd had of giving up on my mission. That was probably its purpose, he enjoyed it as much I felt obliged to complete it. But I didn't care. I couldn't live the rest of my life freely until he was dead._

_And he would be. Maybe not this time. But soon. _

**The End**

* * *

**So that's the end! I hope you enjoyed it, and if you did please review! I will be so so grateful! Thanks so much for reading and for all your review and support! You guys are awesome! Thanks :)**


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